Race Report 18/8/2019

There was team victory for Radcliffe AC’s Paula Abernethy, Amanda Hey and Sheila Jones at the Riverside Half Marathon.

The winning women’s team also picked up a hat-trick of age group wins on the flat and fast course along the Lune Estuary footpath in Lancaster.

Abernethy was 4th lady and first Vet-50 in 1:43:44 over the scenic route. Jones ran 1:57:36 to win the Vet-60 title and Hey was the fastest Vet-55 in 1:57:53.

The fantastic results rounded off another great week of running for the club over a variety of distances and terrain.

Dave Rushton was also in half-marathon action, but ended up running an extra two miles when he got lost during the Whitworth Trail Half Marathon, getting back on track to clock 2:17:00.

Ian Warrington and Fiona Lynch showed their versatility when they ran the Podium 5k in Barrowfield near Pendle, one of the country’s fastest courses which regularly attracts some of the UK’s top athletes. The pair have recently concentrated on ultras but showed that they can put in fast times over shorter distances, with Warrington running 18:22 and Lynch 20:04.

Two runners faced hilly terrain when they took on the Pendle 3 Peaks fell race. Paul Swyers ran 2:12:18 on the 9.4-mile course with 2,838 feet of climbing and Lisa Carter was fifth Vet-45 in 2:44:37 following a four-week break.

Sheila McNulty continued her good form on the hills when she was second Vet-70 at a muddy Whittle Pike Fell Race in Rossendale.

The five-mile course with 1,400 feet of climbing is billed as “rough and tough” and is part of a four-race, midweek fell series organised by Rossendale Harriers. McNulty ran 1:26:48 while Hayley Winder was fourth Vet-40 in 1:23:44.

David Schofield was also in action on the fells, covering the 4.7 miles and 928ft of ascent at the Darwen Gala Catherine Dowdall Memorial race in 58:16 to finish second Vet-40.

Three runners were up to their knees in water when getting back into action at the second race in the Ice lolly 5k series in Bolton. Peter Cook was second Vet-60 in 26:44 on the wet, muddy and hilly course which included running though a deep brook. Kirsten Cook was first Vet-55 in 31:24 and Christine Berry ran 50:34.

A ‘glow in the dark’ medal was the reward for Tracy Wroe when she clocked 1:03:44 at the Run the Lights 10k. The night race gave runners a unique experience of the world famous Blackpool Illuminations along the resort’s promenade and Golden Mile.

Meanwhile, Sarah Oxley was delighted with her time of 59:08 at the scenic multi-terrain Escrick 10k near York, her first race since completing the Lakeland 50.

Parkrun tourist Vince Ashton notched up his 80th location, finishing 17th at Fleetwood Promenade in 25:35, his fastest time this year, while Caroline Malone was the 12th lady and first Vet-45 in 26:03 at Hereford parkrun.

Closer to home, Robert Short was second out of 268 runners at Bolton parkrun in 19:10. Steve Hamer ran 25:40; David Schofield 30:13; Mike Scott 34:23; and Lucy Tetler 34:28.